


Sold My Soul to a Three Piece

by AngelWithAStory



Series: The Hildray Series [12]
Category: X-Ray & Vav (Cartoon)
Genre: Coercion, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Loneliness, Pre-Relationship, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2015-10-08
Packaged: 2018-04-23 16:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4883401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelWithAStory/pseuds/AngelWithAStory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What are you doing here?” X-Ray snapped, barely looking at the man who sat next to him.<br/>“I’m just here to talk, X-Ray.” The Mad King said, adjusting his kilt as he sat on the roof beside the hero.</p><p>Heavy spoilers for ep7</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What Have You Done?

**Author's Note:**

> that episode physically hurt me  
> My poor X-Ray...  
>  ~~Vav you fucked up big time~~

“What are you doing here?” X-Ray snapped, barely looking at the man who sat next to him.

“I’m just here to talk, X-Ray.” The Mad King said, adjusting his kilt as he sat on the roof beside the hero. X-Ray should have been more weary, he should have been more on his guard but everything inside him was _tired_. He was tired of being second best, tired of trying to impress people who never gave him a second glance. Tired of being the third wheel with his own best friend.

“Well, I don’t want to talk.” X-Ray said, hunching over his curled up knees even more.

“Then I want you to listen.” The Mad King said, looking over the city dramatically. That word seemed to describe him in every way; the melodramatic fuck. “I’m sorry about what happened between you and Vav.”

“Sure.” X-Ray said, snorting for good measure. As if the Mad King had any feelings for anyone other than himself.

“I am, X-Ray.” The Mad King insisted, keeping his voice level and genuine. “But I wanted to show you how much he was holding you back?”

“You wanted to embarrass us in front of the whole city.” X-Ray interrupted.

“Quite the opposite. I wanted to show you just how much Vav valued you if he was willing to save that reporter instead of you. I was _freeing_  you, X-Ray. Now you don’t have Vav as dead weight. All his ideas about _righteousness_  and what it means to be a hero… They were never _you_.” The Mad King said softly.

“You don’t know me.” X-Ray said, trying to harden his voice, but the Mad King’s words were comforting in some weird way.

“Oh, but I _do_ , X-Ray.” The Mad King said. “I know it wasn’t your idea to become vigilantes, it was _Vav’s_. I know that it wasn’t your idea to get caught up with that scientist that you’ve grown so... _fond_  of, it was _Vav_  who forced you to go to her lab. I know that you never wanted to try and help Mogar, it was _Vav_  who always wanted to help people, no matter how dangerous they were to you. You can lie to yourself and say that you love being a superhero just as much as Vav, but I know that deep down, _it was never what you wanted._ ”

“Bullshit.” X-Ray said weakly. He knew he shouldn’t have let him get into his head. He should have just left, walked away, punched him in the face, done _something_. But he stayed. And now he was believing what the Mad King was telling him; believing that he should be _grateful_  that Vav had shown his true colours when he had.

“Is it, X-Ray?” The Mad King asked. His voice was almost hypnotic to listen to. “I think you should look at this like an opportunity. Maybe it’s time for you to hang up the cape.” X-Ray snorted dismissively, trying to cling on to his last shred of resolve.

“That’s it?” X-Ray asked, finally looking at the man next to him. “You think you can get me to retire with a couple cute words?”

The Mad King smiled and X-Ray wondered if he’d done the right thing trying to stand up for himself. That smile felt dangerous. That was the kind of smile that would be the last thing you saw before you died. It felt like he’d fallen into a trap and now the Mad King was going to flick the switch.

“ _Retire_? X-Ray, you misunderstand me.” The Mad King said. “I never said you should stop wearing the cape; I just said you never wanted to be a _hero_.”

“What-”

“I want you to join me, X-Ray.” The Mad King said suddenly, turning his head to he was meeting X-Ray eye. “You don’t need Vav to be someone that this city can admire. Just think about it, X-Ray: you could _rule_  this city. Everyone would love you unconditionally, Vav would finally respect you, Hilda would return your feelings; you could be a _king_.”

It sounded tempting. It sounded _really fucking tempting._

“What do you get out of it?” X-Ray asked, trying to keep his guard up and failing.

“I get to perform a good deed. That was part of my rehabilitation.” The Mad King said simply. He stood up and extended a hand towards X-Ray.

Everything in the rational part of X-Ray’s brain was telling him not to, that it was a trap, that he’d regret it, his friends would never forgive him. He’d lose everyone he loved, he’d never be able to look them in the eye again, he’d really be _alone_.

But all those voices in his head were drowned out by the Mad King’s words that bounced around his head tauntingly.

His hand reached out and closed around the Mad King’s. He let himself be pulled to his feet and the Mad King’s smile softened ever so slightly. X-Ray felt the Mad King’s other hand pat his shoulder in a display of pseudo-affection.

X-Ray wished that he could bring himself to regret it, but he couldn’t. That was the most terrifying part.

***

When Hilda woke up that next morning, she saw a folded piece of paper beside her head. She pulled her glasses on and sat up enough to read the words that had been hastily scrawled on the page.

 

_Hilda,_

_I’m sorry._

_I’m not dying, but tell Vav that he’s seen the last of X-Ray. I’ve found somewhere where I’m not second best. Someone who appreciates me._

_Maybe it could have worked out between us, maybe I should have said something to you._

_Oh well._

_YOLO, right?_

 

The page had a shaky but stylised ‘ _X_ ’ at the bottom and Hilda felt her heart sink.

“ _Fuck_. X-Ray, what have you done?”


	2. What Have You Become?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few of people asked me to continue this, so I wrote this because I wanted Hilda to be in the fic, honestly.

Hilda heard the door open behind her and looked over her shoulder.

She felt her breath catch in her throat when she saw who was standing in her doorway.

“X-Ray?” Hilda said, turning to face the man.

“Hilda-” X-Ray said, walking over to her. He pulled her into a hug and Hilda’s arms wrapped around him. She would never ever admit it, but she missed him much more than she’d let on. (She _almost_  buried her face into his shoulder.)

“X-Ray, why are you here?” Hilda asked, taking a step back so she could look at him. “Vav’s going crazy trying to find you. You just disappeared.”

“You didn’t get my note?” X-Ray asked, deflating a little bit.

“No, I did.” Hilda said. “But we’ve still been worried about you, X-Ray.” She promised. X-Ray looked at her solidly, his gaze unflinching.  

“I’m not X-Ray anymore.” He said.

“What are you talking about?” Hilda half-demanded. A heavy weight had settled in her stomach and she felt the sudden need to go for her freeze ray.

“He’s not your vigilante anymore, Hilda.” A new voice voice said from somewhere behind X-Ray. Hilda looked over his shoulder and immediately moved backwards until she hit her work desk. Her hand grasped the homemade freeze ray and she aimed it at the newcomer.

“What the fuck are you doing with _him_?” She demanded, aiming the ray directly at the person’s face. The disgust in her voice was almost tangible.

“I approached him with a business offer and he accepted.” They said. “Honestly, Hilda, you have such a low opinion of me.”

“I have my reasons for that.” Hilda said. X-Ray took a step towards her and she automatically aimed the freeze ray at him. “Don’t take another step, X-Ray. You’re working with _him_?! Have you completely forgotten everything he’s done?!”

“Hilda-” X-Ray said, holding his hands up at shoulder height.

“Don’t try and fuck with me, Ray.” Hilda said, warningly. The freeze ray was cocked and everyone in the room knew that it would at least buy her some time. “Tell me why you’re suddenly buddies with the fucking Mad King.”

“I _am_  still here, you know.” The Mad King said. Hilda’s aim snapped to him and he frowned at her.

“You’re not the one I want answers from.” Hilda said, looking expectantly at X-Ray. He took a breath and forced himself to meet her eye.

“I never wanted to be a superhero.” X-Ray admitted. “It was always Vav’s idea. I just went along with it. But now I know what he thinks of me…” His hands clenched into fists and he finally looked away. The Mad King walked up to him and rested his hand on his shoulder heavily.

Hilda couldn’t find the words to describe it. She felt angry, _incensed_! But she felt a bit sad. She never actually thought he’d leave…

“Now.” The Mad King said, snapping Hilda out of her thoughts. She didn’t have time to wonder what he was about to say; she was a bit distracted by the cloth suddenly being forced over her mouth and nose.

Hilda’s hands tried to tear the attacker’s hands away from her, but whatever that cloth was soaked in worked _fast_. Her vision faded and Hilda felt herself slip under.

Mogar caught her and hoisted her up over his shoulder as if it was nothing.

“This does not feel right.” Mogar grunted, glaring at the Mad King.

“It’ll all pay off, Mogar. Remember, this is what you wanted.” The Mad King said, drawing himself up unconsciously. Mogar made a noise of begrudging agreement and left the room, carrying Hilda with a certain amount of caution. The strict instructions that she mustn’t be harmed had been drilled into him.

“You did well, Ray.” The Mad King said, directing his attention to the former-vigilante.

“As much as I hate to say it, I agree with the Bear-dude.” X-Ray admitted, looking up at him.

“Ray,” The Mad King said, forcibly turning X-Ray so they were facing each other. His tone had shifted to one of authority. “We’ve come too far to have doubts now. This is what you _wanted_ , remember. You wanted them to _respect_  you, Ray. You wanted to be their _equal_. This will give you what you want. I promise.”

The Mad King’s words should have felt wrong and X-Ray should have stood up for himself, demanded he let Hilda go. But instead he nodded. He understood.

This was what he wanted.

This was what he had to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaand that's it! That's the only update this will get :3

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr's [private-doughtnut](http://private-doughnut.tumblr.com/) if you want to send me a message

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A Fallen Hero's Revenge](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4886500) by [givethemanapie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/givethemanapie/pseuds/givethemanapie)




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